The first step is the most important — Polish Aid supports people with disabilities in Georgia

The DOM Foundation for Family Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Opole together with the Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in Tbilisi, run by the Camillians, and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs are taking joint action to make life easier for children with disabilities in Georgia.

The implementation of this year’s project is expected to lead to the establishment of a daytime home for 25 children with disabilities, with a particular focus on those with a significant degree of disability. The plans furthermore include training of Georgian therapists as well as renovating and equipping the Centre’s therapy rooms. The aim is to provide high-quality rehabilitation for people with special needs in their daily lives.

Since 19 May 2019, eight Georgian therapists have been on a placement at the Foundation. During their three-week stay at the Opole-based centre, they will be learning about the work of physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, and occupational therapists. The acquired experience will enable them to establish a daytime home in Tbilisi. Trainees also take part in courses on the right care and positioning of children during treatment and spontaneous play, therapeutic feeding, and speech therapy. Another important topic is contact with parents and dealing with aggression and self-aggression. Visits to other centres have also been planned, including Iskierka, a special public kindergarten, the Group of Special Schools, and the Group of Non-Public Schools for autistic children. They will undoubtedly contribute to the awareness of educational and therapeutic work with children with significant degrees of disability that is carried out by Polish establishments. Experience gained during the placement will help create a leading centre for children with disabilities in Georgia, giving them a chance to develop and improve their future functioning in society.

The project is implemented in the framework of Polish Aid, Poland’s development cooperation programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.